The moment I passed through the portal, my vision vanished, then quickly returned. The portal stood atop an isolated hill, giving us a clear view of the surroundings. Not far away, I could see the entrance where the forest began.
‘Hm?’
As I looked toward the entrance of the forest inhabited by the monsters collectively known as ‘Greenskins’ in the game, someone tugged at my clothes. I turned and found Rion lying flat on the ground.
Confused, I turned toward the direction she was looking.
‘What are you looking at?’
Opposite the forest was a grassland filled with green grass. Under normal circumstances, the wind blowing across it would have made the view feel open and refreshing.
If not for the hundreds of goblins gathered on the plain.
“What the hell is that now?”
The goblins stood before a shabby but fairly large tent, each holding a weapon. They were arranged in orderly ranks with swords, axes, bows, and more.
A tall, thick pole protruded from the center of the tent. It was so wide and cylindrical that a child could probably sit and play on top of it.
‘That looks unusual.’
Fortunately, they were far enough away that they hadn’t noticed us. Once I recovered from my shock, I hurriedly flattened myself against the hilltop as well.
‘One, two, three…….’
I counted them.
Roughly two hundred goblins stood in formation. A creature that appeared to be their commander stood before them, seemingly waiting for someone.
Rumble, rumble.
The sound of something pounding against the earth traveled through the ground beneath my prone body.
‘Would it be more accurate to call it a vibration?’
My gaze followed the tremors shaking my body. In the distance, I saw the edge of the desert region, another area within this main dungeon.
As though the boundary had been measured with a ruler, the grassy plain abruptly became a desert where not even a single blade of grass could be found.
A procession of camel riders approached through clouds of sand, followed by small figures. The small figures were Gnomes with their bodies wrapped in white cloth. Their skin was brown.
As though their arrival had served as a signal, all kinds of monsters began converging from every direction.
‘Goblins, kobolds, Gnomes…….’
It seemed every small monster species described as possessing the minimum intelligence required for organized activity had gathered here.
Why were creatures that normally never left their own territories doing this?
Their numbers varied wildly as well.
Combined, there were plenty of them, but none of the other monsters displayed the military discipline of the goblin army gathered before the tent. The kobolds that crossed the desert after the Gnomes scattered in every direction and lay down the instant they arrived.
Finally, five Hobgoblins twice the size of ordinary goblins arrived. After that, no one else appeared.
“……What the hell is happening?”
Rion gave a small nod, agreeing with my muttering.
The main dungeon I had entered was one of the game’s major pieces of content. The ‘Trail’ leading to the territory was the tutorial, and the territory of ‘Parque’ and the Black Forest were where Chapter 1’s scenario unfolded.
Then came this place.
This first main dungeon beyond the portal was where the bizarre behavior of companion NPCs began in earnest.
It was far beyond what someone like me should enter when I hadn’t even reached the territorial castle and completed the tutorial, much less Chapter 1.
We were at least several hundred meters—and perhaps as far as a kilometer—from the monsters. That allowed me to observe them with some degree of relief.
Something unusual that I knew nothing about had clearly occurred. Monsters that should’ve stayed within their territories until humans came to hunt them were holding a gathering.
‘This is absurd.’
Creatures that looked like the leaders of each monster group entered the large tent. Even after their leaders went inside, the monsters neither fought among themselves nor tried to intimidate one another. They simply stood around like cows staring at chickens.
My thoughts grew tangled.
Could we enter the forest like this?
If those goblins were truly that organized, getting caught by them would make survival nearly impossible. I had gotten my ass handed to me by a combination of one goblin and two wild dogs.
Could I really survive for two days with a kitten and a girl who was dead weight without her spirit?
“Rion.”
“Yes.”
Rion answered, already gripping the Hand Crossbow. Miyu, lying beside us, was wiggling her rear as well.
At least neither of them appeared frightened.
But did they think I was about to suggest fighting?
‘What does she think I am?’
“Let’s go to the Canyon.”
“The Canyon?”
“Yes.”
“But that place is—”
FLASH.
Golden light erupted through the tent.
Not long afterward, a large figure tore through the tent wall and rolled across the ground. We were too far away to see clearly, but it didn’t appear that they had been having a friendly conversation.
A disturbance broke out, and the Hobgoblins began fighting the goblins. Armed with overwhelming strength and reach, the Hobgoblins drove the goblins back.
Then several mutants stepped forward, and the situation reversed.
“Crazy.”
A creature covered in a large piece of sackcloth charged and sent one Hobgoblin flying. It looked as though the Hobgoblin had been struck by a one-ton truck. The creature that had been hurled away didn’t move again.
The mutant immediately tackled another Hobgoblin, and the two rolled across the ground.
WHIZZ, WHIZZ, WHIZZ.
A rain of arrows descended on Hobgoblin 1 as it moved to help. It immediately raised its shield and blocked them.
The arrows failed to injure it, but they succeeded in pinning Hobgoblin 1 in place.
SLASH—.
While the arrows continued to fall, a black object smaller than even an ordinary goblin passed between Hobgoblin 1’s legs.
SPLASH.
Blood sprayed from the calf of the shield-bearing Hobgoblin 1. It roared and tried to counterattack, but the Assassin Goblin drove a blade into its back, climbed up, and slit its throat before it could utter even a single curse.
THUD.
A mace swung from behind and crushed the head of its own ally instead of the Assassin Goblin.
The Hobgoblin wielding the mace reached for the Assassin Goblin, but its hand closed around empty air.
“#$$%@!^%%^”
It sprayed saliva while shouting something incomprehensible. Even as it excitedly swung its mace in every direction, it blocked every arrow fired to keep it in check with uncanny precision.
Click. WHIZZ—THUNK!
An arrow suddenly fired from empty air pierced the mace-wielding Hobgoblin’s chest. While it reeled in confusion from the unexpected wound, two agile goblins armed with swords and shields finished it off.
‘Stealth?’
Atop the unusual pole protruding from the tent stood a goblin holding a crossbow as large as its own body. The creature had become visible when it fired, but it was already fading away and disappearing again.
‘Sure-Hit Mosain?’
Why the hell was a goblin carrying an enchanted weapon?
I had seen a magical sigil appear when the Sniper Goblin used its crossbow. It was a common game effect that appeared whenever an enchanted weapon was activated.
Each weapon produced a different magical sigil upon use, so I could at least distinguish what kind of weapon it was.
‘That’s a weapon you always equip around the middle stages when raising a Hunter.’
“^#%^%!!!”
The Golden Goblin emerged from the tent. Judging by the circumstances, it was probably the creature that had produced the golden light inside.
The Golden Goblin delivered a speech in a language I still couldn’t understand. The leaders of the other small monster groups followed it out and bowed their heads.
“…Let’s go.”
I gathered Rion and Miyu and left the area.
I didn’t understand what was happening, but I felt as though I had made eye contact with the Sniper Goblin atop the pole. If we carelessly rushed back through the portal and provoked it, one of us would die.
That was the kind of weapon it carried.
Rion and I slowly crawled down the hill. Its effect wouldn’t activate unless we entered its line of sight anyway.
Once we descended the opposite side of the hill, the monsters gathered on the plain were no longer visible.
“Let’s go. No matter what those monsters are planning, they won’t be able to enter the Canyon.”
Rion and I headed toward a narrow side path leading to the Canyon, diagonally away from the forest entrance.
It was commonly called the rat hole.
***
I am dreaming.
Tap, tap.
It’s this fucking nightmare again.
I’m being chased.
When I look back, monsters more than twice my size are running after me with weapons in their hands. No matter how hard I run, I can’t escape them.
THUD. THUD.
Every time my bare feet strike the ground, I feel the vibrations caused by the monsters. Each time the earth shakes, my heart convulses with it.
WHIZZ—!
‘I have to dodge!’
“Aaargh!”
Even though I know it’s coming, I can’t avoid it. An arrow fired by the monsters pierces my calf.
It hurts so much.
Why does it hurt when this is a dream?
Is this not a dream?!
Then am I going to die here at the hands of those monsters?
“Kehehe.”
When I collapse, the monsters approach slowly while laughing at me.
I have to live.
I crawl across the dirt to escape, not even noticing my nails breaking.
THUD.
“Where do you think you’re going, insignificant little shit?”
The fat monster that had chased me with blade steps on my back. Blood from my fingertips, where the nails have been torn away, mixes with the sand.
I struggle without caring.
YANK.
“Krraaaagh!”
“Hmm. Looks like I can use this again.”
The creature holding the bow twists the arrow embedded in my calf and pulls it free.
It hurts.
It hurts so much.
Why am I being put through this here?
CLICK.
The archer fastens an iron collar from its belt around my neck.
“Ghk, ghk.”
When it pulls the leash connected to the collar, my throat constricts and I can’t breathe. The fat creature takes the leash and jerks me into the air as though playing a game.
My feet leave the ground, making me look like a condemned prisoner hanging from the gallows.
“Kehehe. Do you have any idea how badly the captain punished us because of you?”
No.
I’m not a condemned prisoner.
I’m simply dragged away by the monsters, dangling like a fish caught on a line.
To them, I’m a convenient toy.
Ding.
As my vision blurs, something translucent appears before me.
I stretch out a trembling hand.
“U-Ugh, aaaaah!!!”
My eyes snap open, revealing a familiar ceiling.
“Huff, huff.”
The bed was drenched in cold sweat.
I couldn’t use it anymore. The bedding stuffed with grass and wolf fur was ruined by blood and sweat.
When I looked down at my hands, my sharp nails were covered in blood. Blood flowing from my throat had soaked my chest.
I picked up the copper mirror beside the bed.
Wild scratches covered my neck. But when I saw my face reflected in the mirror, the wounds mattered less than the nausea rising in my stomach.
It was a face I could never grow accustomed to, no matter how many times I saw it.
CRACK.
The copper mirror split.
I must have unconsciously tightened the hand holding it. A scar crossed my face like the crack running through the mirror.
It was a wound that the damned monster had given me.
As though my face hadn’t already been ugly enough, now it looked vicious as well.
Ding.
The sound effect had become familiar by now. Moving only my eyes, I looked into the air. I tossed the mirror carelessly onto the bed and checked the system window floating before me.
[New Quest!]
The notification was pointlessly cheerful.
Was it mocking my thoroughly fucked situation?
I moved my fingers, where the blood had already begun to dry, and checked the quest details.
‘Intruders Detected! Humans have entered your territory (the Canyon). Kill or drive them out. 0/2’
“…They really do keep crawling in, one disgusting bastard after another.”
After checking the quest, I shouted outside and summoned a subordinate.
The door opened, and a fully armed subordinate entered. It still looked poorly equipped to me, but by the standards of this place, I should’ve been grateful even for that much.
Suppressing the nausea rising in my stomach for no reason, I ordered it to bring the hunting hound.
The subordinate—one of my guards—gave a military salute that looked ridiculous with its short limbs, then disappeared.
Not long afterward, a creature two or three times larger than the guard entered. In the meantime, I wiped the blood from my body and put on a robe.
I placed a crown on my head. It had been crudely fashioned from wood and low-grade gemstones with workmanship anyone could recognize as clumsy.
The creature’s muscular limbs protruded from beneath its rags. I ordered it to enter the Canyon and hunt the intruders.
“…….”
THUMP.
It struck its chest with a fist, then slowly left the room.
That startled me.
I told it to stop doing that.
SWISH.
I pulled aside the curtain covering the window. Below stood a fortress surrounded by a wooden palisade.
It had been roughly five years since I fell into this world.
Starting from the very bottom, I had fought with and lectured these primitive creatures until I finally built a proper force.
I shifted my gaze and willed it, causing a system window to appear.
It displayed the quests I had completed over the years.
Excluding side quests, I had completed only two main quests besides the tutorial quest, ‘Survive.’
Now the quest ‘Unify the Factions’ was glowing with the word ‘Complete.’
The details of the next quest appeared below it.
Its title was ‘Conquest.’
The time was finally approaching for me to escape this sickening dungeon.
I am a ‘human’ who possessed the Golden Goblin—the Goblin Commander.